NEW BOOK - Blitzkrieg - Anatomy of a Legend

When the German armed forces invaded Poland in September 1939 everyone expected the war to last at least six months and for the Germans to sustain heavy casualties. In fact the fighting was over within days. The German army had pulled off one of the most astounding victories in modern times. Urged on by Hitler's ambitions, the following year the German army invaded Denmark, Norway, Belgium and the Netherlands before attacking its most powerful enemy to date: France supported by Britain. Once again the speeding German panzers, screaming Stuka dive bombers and relentless artillery smashed through everything sent against them. The French army was crushed in a matter of days, and the British sent packing from Dunkirk. The world was aghast at the scale of these sweeping victories and at the speed with which they had been achieved. The Germans had unleashed a new form of warfare: Blitzkrieg, or "lightning war". It was new. It was stunning. It was unstoppable. But what actually was it? In this book historian Rupert Matthews explores the origins of Blitzkrieg, explains how it operated and studies its most famous victories before moving on to discuss how the tactic is still with us today.

 

Buy the paperback HERE

 

Buy the ebook HERE

First Ebook Sale for March 2017

Our first ebook sale for March 2017 was a copy of "Bigfoot in Kansas" by Larry Jaffer, sold at 35 minutes past midnight (UK time) to a purchaser in the USA.

You can buy your copy HERE

The gigantic upright ape known as Bigfoot or Sasquatch is not usually associated with Kansas, but there have been a surprisingly large number of sightings in that prairie state.

Take this example, among many others:
On 10 August 2008 a woman was driving by Big John Creek in Morris County in the early morning dawn. As she passed a corn field he saw what she thought was deer and slowed down. When she got close enough to see clearly the creature revealed itself to be a human figure standing nearly 8 feet tall and covered all over in dark brown fur. The creature was holding an ear of corn in its hand and seemed to have been interrupted in the middle of a meal. The woman stopped her car and was trying to decide whether to get out or not, when the careature stepped out of the field, ran across the rod, clearing the road in two gigantic strides, then sprang down the creek bank and splashed over the creek.
She later described the creature as "very broad and looking like a no-neck football player wearing shoulder pads. The skin was black covered with dark brown to black hair, about two inches long, and neat though full of weeds. It had a human-like face with a heavy brow, dark eyes and narrow lips. The creature had a noticeably large hand grasping an ear of corn and made direct eye contact before running off."

In this book cryptid expert Larry Jaffer reviews the evidence for this mysterious beast and comes to some surprising conclusions.

Cryptids are animals, or plants, which are believed by some people to exist, but which have not been accepted as real by the wider scientific community. These cryptids are animals which have been seen, and sometimes photographed, but for which no definitive evidence has been This series of Cryptid Casebooks explores the world of the cryptids.

About the Author
Larry Jaffer has long had an interest in the fortean mysteries that surround us. He grew up ion the Surrey when the Surrey Puma hit the headlines, and went out in search of that elusive beast - without success. Since then he has researched a myriad of other cryptids, including Sasquatch, the sea serpent, the Beast of Bodmin and others. He has also investigated UFO sightings and tracked down numerous ghosts and poltergeists. He has a voluminous archive of witness interviews, photos and other data to back up his writings on the subjects of the unusual, paranormal and downright odd.

Jack the Ripper's London

Our new book and ebook in the "Walks through London" series is now out.

This book guides the reader on a 5 mile walk around Whitechapel and nearby areas of the East End of London linked to Jack the Ripper.

The walk takes in all the key sites associated with Jack the Ripper in chronological order. Unlike other books and guided walks, this guide includes important sites such as the building where the coroner's hearings were held, the police stations and the homes of two of the suspects that the police had their eyes on back in 1888. The text also gives the background to the killings, details of the crimes - and reveals the identity of the man who the author believes was the killer.

This series of books is aimed at those who love London and want to find out more about our wonderful city and its history.  Each walk concentrates on a particular person, theme or period of history with special meaning for London.

We have tried to make these walks as inclusive as possible. We have therefore made sure that each walk covers ground that is suitable for buggies so that parents can take young children along, and for motorised wheelchairs or mobility scooters for those who use these vehicles. We also want to include dog owners, so we include cafes and pubs that welcome our four-legged walking companions. Similarly we mention those which are child-friendly and those with disabled toilets and step-free access.

Oh, and take care as this is central London. Watch out for traffic when crossing roads and always use pedestrian crossings when these are available.

Anyway, that is enough technical guff. Time to get on with the story of one of the London's most sinister and murderous villains: Jack the Ripper.

First Ebook Sale of February - Niall of the Nine Hostages

Niall of the Nine Hostages

 

The mighty warrior king Niall Noígíallach dominates the twilight world between history and legend. He was one of the greatest of the High Kings of Ireland in prehistoric days, but one of the least known to modern historians. He gave rise to the powerful and widespread O'Neil (Ui Neill) dynasty of rulers, but even the century in which he lived is obscure. He was a pagan, but his reign prepared the way for Christianity.
That Niall of the Nine Hostages did live and did rule at least part of Ireland nobody doubts, but how powerful he really was and how he got his famous sobriquet "of the Nine Hostages" remain utterly obscure.
In this book historian Oliver Hayes goes back to the original legends, old manuscripts and seeks to disentangle fact from legend to reveal the true character and career of Niall of the Nine Hostages.


About the Author
Oliver Hayes has written several books, ebooks and magazine articles about British history. His grandfather was from Ireland, his grandmother from Wales and he himself lives in England - giving him a special overview of the historical nations of Britain.

NEW BOOK - The Coronations of King Henry VIII by Rupert Matthews

Paperback available HERE
Ebook available HERE

The coronations of Henry VIII tell us a great deal about this extraordinary monarch. They reveal how he saw himself and how he wanted to be seen by others - both his own subjects and foreign rulers.
Henry was never shy about ceremony, display or extravagance. He enjoyed displays of pomp and ceremony as a way of getting across to his subjects messages about himself, his reign and how he saw his role in the world.
Few ceremonies offered as great a canvas on which to paint such images as does a coronation. It was, and remains, the premier ceremony in English royal life. In Henry's time it was an event of supreme political significance as well. Monarchs in Tudor times held real power in a way that they don't today. The coronation was a vital element in the political life of the nation.
Even in Henry's time it was an ancient ceremony with features and elements of ancient importance and ritual significance. But it has never been a static ritual. Henry felt free to change the ceremony of coronation to suit his own purposes - not just once but several times.
The people he invited, the roles he gave them and even the clothes he ordered them to wear were all deeply symbolic. No detail too small for Henry's eye. He was a huge man in more ways than one - larger than life and with a massive sense of his own impression. And he was determined that others would agree with him.
Most monarchs only go through one coronation ceremony. A few manage more than that, but generally only if they happen to be monarch of more than one country. James Stuart, for instance, was crowned King of Scotland in 1567 when he was only 13 months old. He was then crowned King of England in 1603 after inheriting that throne from his cousin Queen Elizabeth I.
This book looks at the coronations of King Henry VIII. It shows us how the coronations reveal so much about this greatest of all English monarchs.


About the Author

Rupert Matthews is a freelance writer of books on a variety of subjects. He has been writing books for some years and has had more than 150 titles published in 30 different languages. Some of those books have been for grown ups, but others have been for children aged 5 upwards. He has also presented TV shows and performed on radio as well.
Rupert Matthews has written more than a hundred history books for adults and for children. His works show a great attention to detail and frequently take a new and refreshing look at the subjects in hand. He is able to provide artwork references and to check artwork for accuracy. He is also able to produce maps and very often photos as well.
Rupert tweets as @HistoryRupert;

New paperback book - The Female Pope: The True Story of Pope Joan

The Female Pope: The True Story of Pope Joan

For many centuries it was accepted almost without discussion that the priesthood, and pastoral work more generally, was exclusively a male domain. Women had a role within the Christian Church, as nuns or lay workers, but the giving of the sacraments was seen as a male preserve. And yet for centuries rumours and legends have swirled about that one woman did get to be pope in Rome. The Catholic Church has always denied the stories, but they refuse to go away. It is now time to look anew at these old stories and try to discover the truth that lies behind them. In this book Oliver Hayes looks at the legends of a Female Pope and uncovers the startline truth that lies behind them. 

 

Contents 

Foreword 

Chapter 1 - The Legend of the Female Pope 

Chapter 2 - The Legend under Scrutiny 

Chapter 3 - The Real Female Pope

 

Buy it HERE

https://www.amazon.com/dp/152037657X?ref_=pe_870760_150889320

NEW BOOK : The History of Buttons

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We tend to take buttons rather for granted these days. They are the ubiquitous fastener in all our wardrobes. We do them up in the morning without much thought. But in fact the humble button has been essential to the Western World for centuries. It made possible tailoring and fashion as we know them today. Without the button we would be quite undone.

We use buttons on shirts, jackets, skirts, dresses, suits, overcoats and a host of other clothing. These days they are so cheap that many people give them little regard. When you buy a shirt, blouse or jacket it comes with buttons already on it. When the garment wears out most people chuck out the buttons along with the item of clothing. Only a few of us bother to keep the buttons - mostly on the grounds that they "might come in handy one day". They rarely do, of course, because the next garment we buy also has buttons.

The modern wardrobe would be lost without buttons. It can come as a bit of a shock, therefore, to learn that humans had been coping without buttons perfectly well until fairly recently. Indeed, buttons are a surprisingly modern invention.

Not so very long ago nobody used buttons to do up their clothes. And when buttons did first come in they were not treated as lightly as they are today. Time was when buttons sent out important social messages about status, occupation and wealth.

The button has a long and distinguished history. But to understand just how crucial the button is, we need to start back before it had been invented.

Title:               The History of Buttons

Author:           Rupert Matthews

Format:           196 x 132 mm landscape

Extent:            58pp (10pp colour)

Photos:           60

How to Order:

Send a cheque made payable to "Rupert Matthews" for £5 per book, plus £2.90 postage and packing for up to 7 books, to:

Book Orders

8 Fir Tree Close

Epsom

Surrey

KT17 3LD.

The books "The History of Christmas Food" and "Winter God: The Authorised Biography of Father Christmas" are also available at £5 each.

1066 Harold's Way - the Website

Imagine 1066, the Battle of Hastings and King Harold’s epic journey to his date with destiny.



Imagine being part of King Harold’s army, did it rain, was it dry? Three days of marching, the nights were drawing in, the noise, the fear and a battle to face – a camp at Rochester, a camp at Bodiam and a final climb to Caldbec Hill.



The 14th October 1066 is one of the most emotive dates in English history and Harold’s march to the Battle of Hastings is the stuff of legends.



You too can follow in King Harold’s footsteps, along his most likely route to the Battle of Hastings, by walking 1066 Harold’s Way, a walk that starts at Westminster Abbey and finishes at Battle Abbey, East Sussex.



Accessible by public transport, there is nothing to stop you sharing the experience of 1066 Harold’s Way, through London, Kent and East Sussex.



The guidebook for this 100 mile long distance walk is readily available from Waterstones, Amazon, Foyles and other bookshops.

Find out more HERE

http://www.1066haroldsway.co.uk/home-cw7

AWARD winner

Our author Michael Evans has won a prestigious local award for his book "East Anglia at War".

An Interview with Derek Hayes, author of Maid of Turpin’s

As regular Linda’s Book Bag readers know, I’m always happy to support less well known authors and publishers so it gives me great pleasure to introduce Derek Hayes today. Derek’s latest book  Maid of Turpin’s was published by Bretwalda Books on 16th July 2016. Maid of Turpin’s is available for purchase here.

Maid of Turpins

Young Sybil Turpin is an innkeeper who caters for the unsavoury underworld of 18th Century London. When she gets involved in a fiendish plot about spies and political intrigue her life is suddenly in danger from the most ruthless of men.
The year is 1720 and the government of Prime Minister Robert Walpole is overwhelmed by a criminal scandal which threatens to bankrupt the country. Richard Hamilton secret agent of the crown is sent to investigate. The story centres around the notorious tavern in Honey Lane; a lawless neighbourhood within Cheapside.
Turpin’s is ruled by a feisty young Sybil Turpin; an eccentric character who bathes daily in a hogshead barrel and rides like a highwayman.
She and Richard, himself an unconventional character, start as adversaries but when more brutal criminal activity unfolds, they join forces and their quest leads them around the streets of London, from Tyburn to the Bank of England; through Vauxhall Pleasure Gardens to a prison vault under London Bridge.
Richard Hamilton may have met his match with this bold young woman but the Maid of Turpin’s has a further challenge ahead, far beyond her comprehension or ability.

An Interview with Derek Hayes

Hi Derek. Thank you so much for agreeing to answer some questions on my blog about your writing. Firstly, please could you tell me a little about yourself?
I’d describe myself as a well-fed bookworm, people-watcher, storyteller and an expert at make believe. They are lifelong attributes and still as useful now as they ever were. I read a lot and have quite diverse tastes. I usually have two or three books on the go at the same time.
I was a child of the fifties, but I hasten to add a very young one. I live in Wiltshire with my wife Jennifer and lots of grandchildren nearby; still able to indulge the story telling.  I spent most of my working life in the NHS and that was where the people-watching began. It was always a privilege being present through the critical times of other people’s life experiences; often of the dramatic and terminal kind. But then there was hospital humour; usually itself profoundly unnerving but always a palliative for the distress and sadness. Experience enough for several lifetimes.
(I bet!)
And tell us a bit about your Langford series of books.

This is where the people-watching became reality for me. Set in the 1950s Langford Follies are a study ...

You can read the entire interview HERE

https://lindasbookbag.com/2016/12/10/an-interview-with-derek-hayes-author-of-maid-of-turpins/

First ebook sale of December - Winter God: The Authorised Biography of Father Christmas

Buy your copy HERE

Some people call him Father Christmas, other people name him Santa Claus, but whatever name he goes by we all know him.
He is the jolly, fat man who comes out only on Christmas Eve. He loads his sleigh up with toys for all the good children in the world. He wraps himself up in a warm, fur-lined suit of red cloth with matching hat and warm black boots. Then he hitches up his magic flying reindeer, leaves behind his workshop at the North Pole and takes to the skies. For hours he gallops across the wintry, frozen landscapes to bring toys to millions of excited children around the world.
He has become the living embodiment of the Christmas Spirit. But where did this loveable old boy come from? How old is he? Has he always been so jovial? And what about the elves, reindeer and North Pole?
Many people think that Santa was invented for an advertising campaign by Coca Cola. Others date him to Victorian times. A few may place him back in the 18th century or even Tudor times. But they are all wrong.
He is much, much older than that.
This book traces the development of our favourite Christmas character from his origins many centuries ago down to the present day. We learn when and how he started giving presents to children, why he is so fat and where the reindeer came from - among many other things.

A History of Christmas Food - new ebook out now

- With over 20 historic recipes

Buy the ebook HERE

Christmas today is a time of feasting, drinking and all round merrymaking. We serve vast meals that cause our dining tables to groan with the weight and our families to gasp at the luxury.
But it is not just a matter of serving huge meals. Christmas - more than any other time of year - is associated with its own special foods, drinks and eating customs.
Most Christmas foods are widely recognised. Roast turkey graces most tables, which also feature sprouts, roast potatoes, parsnips, bacon rolls, pigs in blankets, cranberry sauce and bread sauce. All that is in due course cleared away to be replaced by Christmas pud and mince pies.
Others are very personal. I grew up in a household where supper on Christmas Eve was always sausages and mash, and where the adults began Christmas Day by trooping down to the kitchen for "Grandma's Special Christmas Tea", which was consumed with much lip smacking and joking. As a tot I found this early morning ritual a bit odd, but when I grew older I learned that "Grandma's Special Christmas Tea" involved my grandmother tipping a healthy dose of whisky into each mug before pouring out the tea.
We take so much of this for granted as part and parcel of our Christmas traditions that we indulge ourselves without thinking. And if we do spare a thought we probably imagine that Christmas has always been like this.
But it hasn't. Christmases of years gone by were very different. Oh, there has always been plenty of eating and drinking going on, but what has been eaten or drunk has varied enormously.
So what did our ancestors eat and drink on the greatest feast of the year?
Read on.

Please note that in producing the recipes included in this book I have adapted original recipes found in books and manuscripts dating back to the times in question. Earlier recipes often did not include either precise measurements or detailed instructions, so I have experimented to find what seems to work best for me. I have generally sought to avoid recipes using ingredients that might be difficult to find these days or have suggested easily obtained alternatives when I have - how could I possibly miss out Mrs Beeton's original Christmas cake of 1861? Enjoy trying out these recipes and your taste of the past.

Review of "Once a Priest"

This just in from a reader:
I am recovering from a serious case of metaphorical post coital triste after reluctantly turning over the last
page of your wonderful Once a Priest.It was one of those reads which you wish would never end.

A few comments by way of appreciation which cannot do justice to the integrity of the book as a whole and its
'omniscient'and energetic narrator.

*I was struck by the explosive first page or two which must be a model for how to begin a work.You have parachuted
into the sixties Liverpool in the most intense and realistic fashion which no social historian could hope to accomplish;
capturing the mantras as you propel the actors onto the stage.This is finely honed economic prose rattling its
cage to become poetry.

*Having been a prisoner of the Brent asylum of the terminally mad at the same time as you were in Bolton,I was
particularly struck by your descriptions of the admin apparats in the grip of a plague of wrongheadedness.I was
 touched by your encounters in the classroom;the pupils;always  powerless victims of the top down poison
administered by our heavily politicised educational state educational apparatus.Your survival stratagems would
make an excellent survival guide for any youngster brave enough to enter the educational fray.

*Sauced with Chaucerian wit throughout

*marvellous insight into the inner workings of the C of E, which despite Trollope, has always for me, been veiled in
mystery.

*Counterpoint.You achieve some well judged a**e kicking in your relentless pursuit of humbug.Yet there are sensitive
episodes of real poignancy.The death of Louie which you were privileged to attend.."I watched her dying......It was like
watching someone being born.She made a good job of it,such fun of it.That was one of her expressions"The nurse."That
woman"she said."That woman-she was an angel!"

*Remarkable capturing of local language idiosyncrasies...."It weren't bad......it were alreet..."the leaden vice of Leeds.I
think it was Lord Salisbury said "Always believe in stereotypes"And the memorable "affat"...And after 'Romeo and Juliet'
"Will we affat write about it tomorrow.....?.....not forgetting "allus"The Dickensian Broadstairs "Have a look at....."the
girl guides etc

*Such a variety of characters as if you were in receipt of an EU rights injunction to include them all!The maverick James....
I am looking forward to hearing more about him and the Uriah Heap senior curate, destroying the bogs with his bike.Characters galore, like a Dutch painting ,and like Shakespeare,minor characters all have their importance.

And the land and townscapes so economically and memorably delineated...

*Then the style;varied but always moving musically as the book progresses;fusing naturally into poetry at the most
appropriate times

*This book is no trivial self indulgence.It takes on the big subjects.Most of all God,worship,prayer,salvation.And the forces
that militate against the latter.Imposters in the Church.The real danger of the abuse of power in the charismatic movement
The age old evils of those who seek preferment by aligning themselves with secular government and the zeitgeist, neglecting their flocks.

*The unity of this marvelous book;the narrator;cheerfully, courageously,overcoming difficulties,armed with that life saver, a sense of irony.Once a priest and by the grace of God,always a priest!

Much much more to say

In appreciation

Yours

Paul

Get your copy HERE

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Once-Priest-Peter-Mullen/dp/1910440116/ref=sr_1_1_twi_1_pap?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1432126179&sr=1-1&keywords=once+a+priest+bretwalda

First Ebook sale of the month - East Anglia at War

First Ebook sale of the month - East Anglia at War

In both world wars the British confidently expected Germany to mount an invasion through East Anglia. During the Great War enormous numbers of troops, who were desperately needed on the Western Front, were tied up defending East Anglia against an invasion that never came. In spite of this, in World War II, once again it was East Anglia where the confidently predicted German invasion would take place.
In both Wars East Anglia was a hive of activity with soldiers, sailors and airmen frantically preparing for an invasion that never came, and latterly striking back at Hitler’s Reich through RAF Bomber Command.
This book looks at East Anglia in those desperate, bloody years. It shows how the people of the area coped and survived, or sometimes made the ultimate sacrifice. The book also looks at the relics of those years - gun emplacements, airfields and other structure built while East Anglia was at War.

Contents
Foreword
Chapter One – The Scene is Set
Chapter Two – Encore Une Fois
Chapter Three – The Agricultural Revolution
Chapter Four– The Beginning
Chapter Five – When will they arrive?
Chapter Six –The German invasion plan
Chapter Seven – Local Organisation
Chapter Eight - The Home Guard
Chapter Nine – Military Readiness
Chapter Ten - The RAF before the Battle
Chapter Eleven – The Battle of Britain Begins
Chapter Twelve – The fight to the Death, Douglas Bader and the Big Wing
Chapter Thirteen – Some Iconic Airfields of East Anglia
Chapter Fourteen – The American Intervention – The early Days
Chapter Fifteen – US in Britain
Chapter Sixteen - Keeping the North Sea Open
Chapter Seventeen – Air Raids
Chapter Eighteen – And Finally

About the Author

Michael’s home is in East Anglia. After many years based near Cambridge, he now lives close to the North Norfolk Coast.

Always a prolific writer, during more than twenty years as a head teacher he managed to combine his writing activities with running a school. Educational writing continues to play a significant part in his output, but he has also written widely on topics relating to 20th century military history. This book combines his interest in military history with his love of East Anglia.

This is Michael’s twelfth book and his third covering a World War II topic. The other two: RAF Duxford and Douglas Bader were both published as part of Bretwalda’s Heroes of the RAF series.

Get your copy HERE
http://www.amazon.co.uk/East-Anglia-War-Michael-Evans-ebook/dp/B00TEBI8KU/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1430547896&sr=1-1&keywords=East+Anglia+at+War

NEW EBOOK - Once a Priest: The Memoirs of an Unconventional Vicar

NEW EBOOK - Once a Priest: The Memoirs of an Unconventional Vicar

Once A Priest is the first of two volumes of memoirs by outspoken traditionalist Church of England priest Peter Mullen. Everyone who loves true, amusing, touching and insightful stories of English life in town and country will love this book - as much as it will outrage the trendy liberals who dominate the Church today. This book is nothing if not controversial.

This fast-paced and vivid book follows Peter as he moves from naive first-tiem curate to world-weary vicar, covering curacies in Leeds, Stretford and Oldham; to a chaplaincy at a downtown secondary school in Bolton. Here the author teaches philosophy to young ruffians, puts on a version of Mozart's "Magic Flute" with the same ruffians; writes his first three books and sets up Britain's first "A" level philosophy course and exam; takes assembly every morning for four years; attends all the usual outings, comedies and tragedies of school life. From there to be Vicar of two country parishes in Yorkshire and the whole gamut of parochial experience (huge amusement at weddings and the crematorium/graveside), teaching extramural classes and the kids in a village junior school. All recorded here in anecdotes which are by turns hilarious and deeply moving. All human life is here.


About the Author
Rev'd Dr Peter Mullen retired from his post as rector of St Michael's, Cornhill in 2012 and he has now semi-retired to the south coast to enjoy the sea and the Downs and to concentrate on writing. He has retained his chaplaincies to three City of London livery companies and to the Royal Regiment of Fusiliers Chapel. He is a columnist for The Northern Echo, Church of England Newspaper and The Salisbury Review. Peter Mullen is the author of more than forty books, including five novels.

get your copy HERE
http://www.amazon.co.uk/Once-Priest-Memoirs-Unconventional-Vicar-ebook/dp/B00ULX2SWE/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1427904109&sr=1-1&keywords=bretwalda+priest

NEW EBOOK - Inside the Tank: A Personal View from Inside Prime Minister Thatcher's Policy Unit

NEW EBOOK - Inside the Tank: A Personal View from Inside Prime Minister Thatcher's Policy Unit
"Few people, even Whitehall insiders, really know how Margaret Thatcher's Policy Unit worked and how it made her so effective in getting her will to prevail. “Inside the Tank” is a first hand account of how Mrs Thatcher made decisions and how she took advice, particularly on controversial issues where vested interests were pulling in different directions.
Written by a former member of the Unit, seconded in 1986 from the executive board of an international conglomerate, Consolidated Gold Fields, the many similarities between the issues and conflicts in business and government are striking.
George Guise had been responsible for the international development of the Cons Gold Group working in South Africa, the USA and Australia where he restructured the group's operations. He was "borrowed" in 1986 by HMG and immediately hit it off with MT, both having short patience with delayers and nay sayers.
The areas upon which he advised were initially commercial, especially nationalised industries, privatisation and the City of London. This soon expanded to include science policy, in which both he and MT had a deep personal interest, and eventually to South Africa where he had extensive experience.
Inside the Tank focuses exclusively on matters where the writer had direct personal involvement with Margaret Thatcher and does not speculate or philosophise in the way of so many recent publications, some by people who never even met her! "

Contents
Preface
Privatisation from 1986
Science Policy
Arts Policy
South Africa
Epilogue - Overview of Thatcher’s Style

About the Author
George Guise served as Margaret Thatcher’s adviser from 1986 to 1991. His advice covered key areas such as industry, privatisation and science policy but also included the City, the Arts and South Africa. Following the overthrow of MT in December 1990, he declined the new PM's offer to remain at No 10 and spent several years advising foreign countries, including South Africa, Venezuela, Poland, Hungary, the Czech Republic and Turkey on electricity privatisation.This was often in conjunction with National Grid or Deloitte & Touche Consulting on whose London board he served. After leaving Downing Street he returned to private business. Although now officially retired, he is an active participant in debate about the way forward, both in the UK and in Europe.

Get your copy HERE

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Inside-Tank-Personal-Minister-Thatchers-ebook/dp/B00TEACHZS/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1427616404&sr=1-1&keywords=bretwalda+inside+tank

NEW EBOOK - A Life at the Chalkface: A Memoir Of A London Headteacher

NEW EBOOK - A Life at the Chalkface: A Memoir Of A London Headteacher

Foreword by Sir Timothy Brighouse.
A realistic but touching look at school life at a tough inner city school by the headteacher who turned the school around and is an acclaimed columnist for the Times Education Supplement and other publications.
‘In the early eighties, Mike Kent took on the headship of a tough, inner city primary school and built it into one of the most popular primary schools in London.
In ‘A Life At The Chalkface’ Mike describes with humour and insight the challenges he experienced as English primary education changed beyond belief during three decades. Never a stranger to controversy, Mike survived a racial tribunal, an eighteen month battle with Ofsted, local school inspectors who were determined to make him conform, and bureaucrats who viewed children merely as outcome units.
His love of teaching and teachers shines through as he describes the many unique characters who passed through his school… the boy who wanted to be a bus, the ex-pupil who became a society thief, the teacher who couldn’t throw anything away, the fire officer who described children’s art as hazardous wall substances and the parent who was determined to enrol his three month old daughter in the Reception class.
A Life At The Chalkface gives a unique insight into the trials and tribulations of headship, and it will be thoroughly enjoyed by anyone with an interest in education and a sense of humour.’

Contents
Foreword by Sir Tim Brighouse
Introduction
Chapter 1 - A School Of My Own
Chapter 2 - Finding My Feet
Chapter 3 - First Day At The Chalkface
Chapter 4 - A Term Of Trial
Chapter 5 - A Test Of My Leadership
Chapter 6 - Walking With Dinosaurs
Chapter 7 - The New Inspector Calls
Chapter 8 - A Tidal Wave Of Change
Chapter 9 - Appeals, Appointments and Questionable Governance
Chapter 10 - All Children Great And Small
Chapter 11 - No Parents Past This Point
Chapter 12 - The Computer Revolution
Chapter 13 - Challenging Ofsted
Chapter 14 - The Bureaucratic Nightmare
Chapter 15 - Polythene, Pigeons and Eccentric Electrics
Chapter 16 - Troubling Teachers
Chapter 17 - The Roar Of The Greasepaint
Chapter 18 - Winding Down



About the Author
Mike Kent has for the last 13 years been a featured columnist on The Times Educational Supplement. For two years running, he was a runner-up for the PPA Columnist Of The Year award. He has written over 400 articles for educational magazines and newspapers, and 27 musical plays for children. He recently retired as headteacher of a tough inner city school.

 

Print book out soon

 

Get your copy HERE

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Life-Chalkface-Memoir-London-Headteacher-ebook/dp/B00TEB4F8Y/ref=sr_1_1?s=digital-text&ie=UTF8&qid=1427446001&sr=1-1&keywords=bretwalda+life+chalkface

 

Press Coverage of Nicky Morgan MP​'s new book in the Loughborough Echo.

Press Coverage of Nicky Morgan MP​'s new book in the Loughborough Echo.

Town MP Nicky Morgan writes Civil War history book

• 12:00, 23 March 2015
• By Andy Rush

Mrs Morgan has written a children’s activity non-fiction book about Loughborough during the Civil War, which is being published by Bretwalda Books.

Loughborough MP Nicky Morgan has written a children's activity non-fiction book The Civil War in Loughborough which is being published by Bretwalda Books. Photo supplied by Rupert Matthews, editorial director, Bretwalda Books.

TOWN MP Nicky Morgan is set to launch her new history book, The Civil War in Loughborough, today (Friday, March 20,) at Cobden Primary School.
Mrs Morgan, has written a children’s activity non-fiction book about Loughborough during the Civil War, which is being published by Bretwalda Books.
Editorial director of Bretwalda Books, Rupert Matthews

Read the entire article HERE

http://www.loughboroughecho.net/news/local-news/town-mp-nicky-morgan-writes-8870749

Nicky Morgan MP and “The Civil War in Loughborough” New Book Released Today

Nicky Morgan MP and

“The Civil War in Loughborough”

New Book Released Today

Loughborough MP, Nicky Morgan, has written a children's activity non-fiction book about Loughborough during the Civil War, published today.

It is time to explore the past with this fantastically fun “cut out and play” title packed with amazing facts, fun activities, cut-out characters to colour in, puzzles and more interesting information than you can shake a stick at.

With a bold and accessible look, this title allows younger readers to discover why holding a match at night was a really bad idea, how spending a penny could get you thrown in prison and what to do if you met a man named Praise God Barebone.

Fun, informative and educational, this is how to get children interested in history.

About the Author

Rt Hon Nicola Morgan MP is Member of Parliament for Loughborough and was fascinated to learn that her constituency played such a significant role in the English Civil War - with a battle being fought almost on her own doorstep

Note to Editor : Author Nicky Morgan is available for interview through Editorial Director Rupert Matthews on 07721 455944.

Attached photos show:

1) The Book cover

2) Author Mrs Nicky Morgan MP

3) Artworks from the book

NB Other photos are available on request

About the Book

Title:               The Civil War in Loughborough

Author            Rt Hon Nicola Morgan MP

ISBN                978-1-910440-28-5

Publisher       Bretwalda Books

Price               £4.99

NEW EBOOK - The Discerning Mercenary's Guide to the 100 Years War

NEW EBOOK - The Discerning Mercenary's Guide to the 100 Years War

The Past, as they say, is Another Country. Now there is a guide book to Britain and France as they were during The Hundred Years War of 1337-1453. Technically that is 116 years, but that’s history for you.
Written by Dr Lee Rotherham this book tells the modern reader everything they would need to know when visiting this war torn period of our past some 600 years ago.
Written as if it were a guide book to be used by a visiting medieval tourist, and illustrated, this book is the essential guidebook to The Hundred Years War.
You will learn the difference between Armagnac and Burgundy (the people not the drinks), get to decide if Joan of Arc is God’s lieutenant on Earth (the French view) or a crazed cross-dresser (the English view), view the glories of Rheims, meet the last Prince of the Welsh, have a chat with the first man to speak modern English and learn the best way to avoid the plague like, err, the plague.
So this handbook is part survival guide, part tome to assist in cultural acclimatisation, part aide-memoire to help manage expectations in what remains a pretty vicious period of our past.

About the Author

Dr Lee Rotherham is author of the previous titles in this series “The Discerning Barbarian’s Guide to Roman Britain” and ““The Discerning Gentleman’s Guidebook to Britain’s American Colonies - 1770s Edition”.

Lee is an historian, political consultant, and writer with a distant background in mediaeval French and Occitan. His interest in the Hundred Years’ War was first piqued during breaks from teaching English in France, spent driving around the castles and battlefields of the Loire in an absurdly green Renault 6.
A part-time soldier, his military incursions have since led him to reconnoitring Iraq’s archaeological sites in a helicopter, pondering over ancient forts in the Afghan desert, and stomping through undergrowth in the retirement town of Scipio Africanus. When not worrying about the national debt or researching arcana about the activities of the European Union (of which there are, sadly, many), he spends his free time wondering where to store a troublingly large photo collection.


Contents
Foreword
Chapter 1 An Introduction for Mediaeval Tourists
Chapter 2 Planning Your Visit
Chapter 3 Information for Business Visitors
Chapter 4 The War Itself
Chapter 5 Meet and Greet
Chapter 6 Where to Visit
Chapter 7 1453 and All that
Acknowledgments
Further Study
About the Author

Get your copy HERE

http://www.amazon.co.uk/Discerning-Mercenarys-Guide-100-Years-ebook/dp/B00TEBVSIY/ref=sr_1_1_twi_2?s=books&ie=UTF8&qid=1426232660&sr=1-1&keywords=bretwalda+mercenary+discerning